Performance classes

All students, teachers and staff are welcome to attend the sessions, which are free. If you have any questions or suggestions for classes you’d like to see happening, please contact Liz Haddon: liz.haddon@york.ac.uk

Please note, there are ‘vocal’ and ‘instrumental’ sessions, but anyone is free to go to anything – singers are welcome at the instrumental sessions, and instrumentalists welcome at the vocal ones. Some classes take the form of workshops and offer the chance to participate to everyone who turns up (for example, African drumming); others are more like a masterclass and require those wanting to participate as performers to sign up in advance. However, there will be the chance to observe at all sessions – active participation is strongly encouraged, and it’s usually more fun than watching!

Some classes have sign-up sheets for participants to register, particularly those where the leader will work with a certain number of students. These will be available online, sent to students as an email link. Information will be posted on the board at the top of the stairs in the music department main building.

This session will show you how you can help yourself to maintain a healthy voice throughout your course. Maximising your vocal development during your degree by maintaining healthy practices will be discussed with scientific evidence of why some things are good/bad for your voice.

You’ve diligently learned the music and the text but we all know that’s just the starting point. The ‘how?’ of singing is inextricably linked with the ‘what?’ and the ‘why?’ So how do you set about really using your imagination, being clear about your intention and meaning what you sing?

The first half of the session will focus on warm-up exercises especially suitable for pre-choral
rehearsals and performances. The second half of the workshop will give information and lists
of reliable editions and explain why these are more suitable for singers and accompanists.

In this session Richard will work with three singers and their accompanists on material of their
choice (ideally related to the title ‘Night and Dreams’ but not necessarily so!) Please make sure that
you bring your accompanist to the session. Observers are welcome.

University is a time to wonder - about life and the universe, and importantly about yourself. Most musicians take enormous care of their instruments. They understand their value and that without them they are unable to perform. Surprisingly, many of them take less care of the only instrument that is truly irreplaceable – themselves: body, mind and emotions.